Combine two systems above on same single hard disk of say 140 GB and be presented at time of boot up option as to boot up with which partition (OS)...?
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PROBLEM:

Disk Cloning requires that either destination hard disk be blank or destination hard disk all data be destroyed before cloning...so how i clone second hard disk (of 80 GB) onto new hard disk (of 140 GB) after already having cloned first hard disk of 60 GB into 140 GB....

How can I have both 60 Gb and 80 GB systems be cloned and placed together in new hard disk of 140 GB...

Actually combining both the systems on to one disk with three or four partitions is not too difficult. The tricky bit is to sort out the booting arrangements and this is not really a True Image problem. When I did something simillar a while back I sorted out the dual booting first before combining the drives and then editing the boot INI so that the boot loader pointed to both systems on a single disk 0.

There are many articles available on how to dual boot 2000 and XP either using Windows tools or third party software. The choice is yours.

Assuming the 2000 system is on C drive this whole disk, including the MBR, should be cloned or imaged to the new drive. Then create a partion in the unallocated space to which an IMAGE of the whole of the second disk would be restored, this time without an MBR.

Before you start any of this give your current partitions names such as "2000sys" and "2000data" "XPsys" and "XPdata". There is a need for this as in the various operations the drive letters may change if only on a temporary basis and it is then easy to get confused.

"Assuming the 2000 system is on C drive this whole disk, including the MBR, should be cloned or imaged to the new drive. Then create a partion in the unallocated space to which an IMAGE of the whole of the second disk would be restored, this time without an MBR."

Click to expand...

BUT how then will it be possible to ever boot from 2nd operating system which has been restored from an image without MBR...

Any good software trick to achive that....?

"Actually combining both the systems on to one disk with three or four partitions is not too difficult. The tricky bit is to sort out the booting arrangements and this is not really a True Image problem. When I did something simillar a while back I sorted out the dual booting first before combining the drives and then editing the boot INI so that the boot loader pointed to both systems on a single disk 0."

Click to expand...

Can u plz be kind enough to elaborate a little bit on abobe as i am not that much knowledgeable....thanks

"Assuming the 2000 system is on C drive this whole disk, including the MBR, should be cloned or imaged to the new drive. Then create a partion in the unallocated space to which an IMAGE of the whole of the second disk would be restored, this time without an MBR."

BUT how then will it be possible to ever boot from 2nd operating system which has been restored from an image without MBR...

Any good software trick to achive that....?

Click to expand...

It is not a trick, it is standard Windows dual booting practice. I suggest that a bit of background reading to improve your understanding of what is meant by dual booting and how it is implemented would be in order.

Chapter 8. Installing and using several operating systems on a single PC 8.1 Introduction One of the key benefits offered by Acronis OS Selector is the ability to add almost any new operating system to a PC, even if it already has one or more operating systems installed. Using Acronis OS Selector, a user is able to install: • Several different copies of the same OS (e.g. Windows XP); • Different operating systems from the same developers (e.g. Microsoft Windows 98 and Windows XP); • Operating systems from various developers (e.g. a Windows version and a Linux variant). In all cases, Acronis OS Selector eliminates software conflicts that might affect operating system stability and even result in failures. Acronis OS Selector supports and automatically recognizes the following operating systems: • Various DOS environments: MS DOS 5.x–6.x; MS DOS 7.0 (not a separate product but is included in Windows 95); MS DOS 7.1 (not a separate product but is included in Windows 9; MS DOS 8.0 (not a separate product but is included in Windows Me). All Windows 9x and Windows NT operating systems: Windows 95/95 OSR2/98/Me/NT/2000/XP • The most widespread Linux distributions • The most widespread Unix PC distributions: FreeBSD, Solaris, QNX Below, you will find instructions for some of the most typical situations related to adding a second OS to a PC that already has one installed. Please be aware that peculiarities of some operating systems may place additional limitations and/or require additional actions. We recommend that you look into Appendix B “Particularities of Operating Systems.” Please note that a newly installed operating system will be set as the defaultin the Acronis OS Selector boot menu. If you require another OS to have this status, you will have to adjust the respective operating system properties (see 7.5 «Setting an operating system as the default»).

One more request...can u explain why this has to be restored without MBR...

Click to expand...

A HDD under Windows only has one MBR so why try to confuse it with another ?

Another approach altogether which, though tiresome would get you to the result you require, would be to start again with the new hard drive.
First install Windows 2000 and set it up as required and add your data partition. Then pop in the Xp CD and start the install. The previous OS will be recognised and you will be asked if you wish to keep it and dual boot with XP answer yes and complete the installation and set up of XP.

How exactly are you booting to your two different operating systems at the moment and how are the drive letters allocated ? I ask because I may not be starting from the most appropriate point.

"How exactly are you booting to your two different operating systems at the moment and how are the drive letters allocated ? I ask because I may not be starting from the most appropriate point."

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Right now i have two separate hard disks where on one hard disk i have windows xp and on another i have windows 2000; these are desktop hard disks and i connect the one i want to depending on which i want to use....

But now i want to move both onto my laptop single harddisk.....and also single desktop big harddisk.....instead of two....

reinstalling software with so many applications and then updates is too too much hassle plz suggest some othe way....

Right now i have two separate hard disks where on one hard disk i have windows xp and on another i have windows 2000; these are desktop hard disks and i connect the one i want to depending on which i want to use....

But now i want to move both onto my laptop single harddisk.....and also single desktop big harddisk.....instead of two....

reinstalling software with so many applications and then updates is too too much hassle plz suggest some othe way....

Click to expand...

As you do not just want to combine two PC disks into one and install a dual boot environment, but you also want to move your two installations to completely different hardware I am sorry but I have just resigned from my attempts at helping you.

Unless you are prepared to spend quite a considerable amount on additional software and spend a lot of time learning how to use it; The only only possible solution I can see would be to install the applications and data from square one on the laptop.